Desert Rat Knits

I've been a bad blogger. . .

2008-12-07T19:06:00.002-08:00

Ten months?! Good grief. My last post was about my 2008 goals, and I'm now thinking about my 2009 goals! I suppose this is as good a time as any to look back at my 2008 goals to see how I did:

Goal: Finish my husband's Manly Pewter Socks. He's been bugging me about them for nearly a year, so I really need to just bite the bullet and knit sock #2.
Progress: Done! He seems to really like them. I've just ordered yarn for husband pair #2.
Goal: Knit a toe-up pair of socks. I've got a few lovely handpaints that I want to make the most of, and toe-up seems to be the best way to do that.
Progress: None whatsoever. I discovered the joys of the round toe (no kitchener, plus excellent fit), and I haven't yet figured out how to make one of those toe up, so top down it is for now.
Goal: Learn how to knit continental. It would make seed stitch and ribbing a whole lot more pleasant.
Progress: Minor. I actually did some two-handed colorwork on a felted bag recently, but the continental was just not a whole lot of fun. I'll probably try some more continental in the future, but I don't feel a burning desire to do so. I've actually come to not mind ribbing in English now, anyway.
Goal: Knit more garments. This year, I discovered how lovely a nice-fitting handknit garment is. Plus, I really like bigger projects.
Progress: I made excellent progress on the actual knitting of the garments, but not so much progress on the finishing of the garments. . . I have a long sleeve top and a sleeveless tank languishing with all the knitting done, awaiting some finishing. I also have a half-finished cardi sitting in time out due to a broken needle. One of my 2009 goals will definitely be to be better about finishing garments.
Goal: Blog more regularly, and take more FO pictures.
Progress: Zero. See post title above.
Goal: Design another garment for myself. I made a self-designed cabled vest last month, and I really enjoyed the process. It also fits really, really well. (Too bad it's wool and I only get to wear it a few days a year.)
Progress: Some. I've swatched for another vest and am waiting for a 32 inch needle to arrive to start the vest.

I didn't meet all my knitting goals for the year, but overall it's been a good knitting year. Here's what I am looking forward to in 2009:

More socks! I've got a basic sock pattern now that fits really well, and I can't wait to have more wonderfully comfy handknit socks.
Some finished garments (see above re: delinquent finishing).
Knitting my first husband sweater. I've got some yarn on order for swatching, and I'm combing through patterns now. It should be fun!
Knitting a blanket. I've got my eye on one of Jared Flood's lovely round blankets. There's nothing like a handknit blanket to snuggle up with on the couch.

I would also like to bring some order to the stash (both yarn and needles), as well as update Ravelry and the blog with some FOs. Here's to a new year and more fiber fun!

Better late than never

2008-02-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

I'm a little behind in posting my goals for 2008, but better late than never, right? So, without further adieu, here are my knitting goals for 2008:

Finish my husband's Manly Pewter Socks. He's been bugging me about them for nearly a year, so I really need to just bite the bullet and knit sock #2.
Knit a toe-up pair of socks. I've got a few lovely handpaints that I want to make the most of, and toe-up seems to be the best way to do that.
Learn how to knit continental. It would make seed stitch and ribbing a whole lot more pleasant.
Knit more garments. This year, I discovered how lovely a nice-fitting handknit garment is. Plus, I really like bigger projects.
Blog more regularly, and take more FO pictures.
Design another garment for myself. I made a self-designed cabled vest last month, and I really enjoyed the process. It also fits really, really well. (Too bad it's wool and I only get to wear it a few days a year.)

2007 was my first full year as a knitter, and it was a good one. 2008 promises to bring more of the same!

Silent Poetry Reading

2008-02-02T10:33:00.000-08:00

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

--"Funeral Blues," by W.H. Auden

This is one of my very favorite poems. It's a heartbreakingly sad poem, but at the same time it's incredibly beautiful, for the depth of love it conveys.

Na(Fi)KniSweMo Update

2007-11-24T20:21:00.000-08:00

When I decided to do NaKniSweMo (or rather, NaFiKniSweMo), I had no idea whether I could actually finish knitting Ariann by the end of November. I figured it would be a good way to motivate myself to pick her back up and get it done. I was right--it's been great motivation, and even though I probably won't quite finish by the 30th, I consider NaKniSweMo a success for me.

I started this little adventure just before the second buttonhole and near the end of the body increases. Now I'm through the sleeves, have everything joined together, and am about to do the third buttonhole. Yay! I've seen a few recently finished Arianns in the blogosphere recently, and I'm really looking forward to the finished product. In the meantime, it's back to raglan decreases for me. . .

NaKniSweMo

2007-11-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of September, I started Ariann. I got partway through the main body and then, for whatever reason, just stopped working on her for a while. I recently read about NaKniSweMo and decided that it would be a great chance to spur myself to finish Ariann. It technically won't be "Knit a Sweater Month" so much as "Finish Knitting a Sweater Month," but I figure it's close enough. Let the sweater knitting continue!

On Style

2007-10-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

When I saw the Vogue Knitting anniversary edition a few months ago, I cringed at the thought of gigantic sweaters and ponchos coming back into style. Most of the time, I just don't think those garments flatter anyone. Now, there are certainly occasions that call for a big, cuddly sweater, but the vast majority of the time I prefer fitted, classically styled knits. Done right, such styles can flatter a wide variety of body shapes, rather than hiding everything (good and bad) under enormous amounts of fabric. Veronik Avery is one of my favorite designers for precisely that reason (speaking of which, you must get yourself a copy of her book if you haven't yet--it's spectacular). If I were to have some sort of personal knitwear style manifesto, I'd want her to write it.

Happily, the winter preview for IK has calmed my fears about knitwear trends, because it's full of elegant, classic, extremely wearable designs. I'm particularly enamored of the Refined Aran Jacket and the Sweater Girl Pullover (though I'll have to find a sub for the Kid Silk Haze--mohair just doesn't work in Phoenix). The fall edition also had some lovely examples of classic, wearable designs (e.g. Tangled Yoke, Minimalist Cardigan).

I'm absolutely thrilled that vintage, classic looks seem to be coming back into style. How about you? Is the current trend towards more fitted, classic looks your cup of tea?

Cable Dreams

2007-10-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about cabled vests lately. I have this stash of Paton's Classic Merino that would be perfect for a cabled vest.

The yarn was originally intended for a felted needle case, but I quickly realized that 1) knitting the yarn double stranded was not at all fun, since I spent half my time untwisting the two skeins, 2) I really didn't need a felted needle case, and 3) I really didn't enjoy knitting it. Anyway, I have a ton of the yarn sitting in a huge Ziploc, just waiting for the right project.

I've probably got a sweater's worth of yarn, but I have no need whatsoever for a 100% wool sweater in the Arizona desert, so a sweater is not a good candidate. I also don't really need a scarf or hat or mittens. A vest, however, could work. This yarn would be perfect for cables, and I love cabled vests.

I have yet to find the cabled vest pattern of my dreams, so I'm considering designing my own. There's plenty of good material out there as far as basic vest patterns and some really lovely cable patterns--the trick is putting it all together the way I like it. I do it with recipes all the time, so why not knitting?

I'm a little nervous, having never designed anything and having only been a knitter for about a year, but I'm already excited about the possibilities. I think the blog will be a great way for me to chronicle the design process as I work through it for the first time. On to swatching. . .

Done!

2007-10-15T21:59:00.000-07:00

After five feet of linen stitch, much interfacing-related angst, and some questionable sewing, The Bag is DONE.

Project specs:

Pattern: The Bag, by Wendy Wonnacott, in No Sheep for You
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy, in Black and Off White (2 skeins each)
Needles: Knit Picks Options, size 4
Started: July 2007 (I think)
Finished: October 15, 2007
Modifications: 1 extra repeat in the top and bottom sections; linen stitch handles instead of garter stitch

As Grumperina has noted, this pattern really shines best with more contrasting yarns than those used in the original version in the book. I took the contrast to the extreme, and I love the result. The black and white really make the slip-stitch pattern pop! The yarn is lovely stuff, and I will most certainly work with it again. It's perfect for those of us in warm climates.

The knitting of the bag body went quite fast, but the finishing was pretty time-consuming. Knitting five feet worth of linen stitch handles stretched my sanity to the limit, and the lining of the bag severely taxed my non-existent sewing skills. All that said, however, the finished product was well worth the time. A successful project!

100 things (part 2)

2007-10-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

11. I am a firm believer in the Harvard comma.
12. My favorite word is defenestrate.
13. I cannot eat scrambled eggs without ketchup. Salsa will not do. It must be ketchup.
14. I long for the return of cinnamon chip scones to my local Starbucks.
15. I think the designated hitter is an affront to baseball.
16. I would love to see a game at Wrigley Field someday. It would be a day game, of course.
17. I love my car. I will be heartbroken when it finally dies.
18. Sometimes when I am in need of a pick-me-up, I listen to Christmas music--even if it's only September.
19. I secretly love the "very special" holiday episodes of TV shows. My holiday season isn't complete without at least one or two of them.
20. I love M*A*S*H re-runs.

100 things (part 1)

2007-10-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

1. I love the desert.
2. I think desert sunrises and sunsets are some of the most beautiful things nature has to offer.
3. I have always wanted to be a morning person.
4. I am not a morning person.
5. I love breakfast.
6. I think pie is totally acceptable as breakfast food. Cake too.
7. I love to bake.
8. I always try to have the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies on hand, just in case the cookie urge strikes. This has come in handy many times.
9. I love baseball.
10. Field of Dreams is one of my favorite movies. The ending always makes me cry.

Hello blogland!

2007-10-02T17:43:00.000-07:00

After knitting and reading knitting blogs for about a year, I finally decided it was time to start a blog of my own. So, hello and welcome to Desert Rat Knits!